Jobless wait as benefit glitch fixed

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The state labor agency Tuesday reported delayed benefit payments are on their way although jobless recipients depending on the money told KRQE News 13 they still are waiting.

The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions also continued to decline interview requests about the latest problem to befall the agency dealing with a sharp rise in unemployment and applications for benefits. On Monday it blamed a computer glitch for delaying benefits to 23,000 New Mexicans.

For the past two days, KRQE News 13 has been asking Workforce Solutions for a face-to-face interview to discuss what happened. Instead a representative talked briefly on the phone and then took only written questions submitted by e-mail.

People waiting for the payments were willing to be interviewed said the delay is creating hardship.

Vicki Wilkerson of Edgewood planned to fill her truck with gas to drive to a job interview.

"I don't have any money to get anything done," she said adding the money should have been in an account for her state-issued debit card Monday.

Workforce Solutions said earlier that the payment problem only affected clients who on Sunday submitted their regular certification stating they still were unemployed.

When News 13 asked Gov. Bill Richardson about the problem, his response was simple and terse. "It will not happen again," he said.

Last month Richardson intervened to get the agency more help during a growing public furor over newly unemployed workers not being able to contact Workforce Solutions by phone or e-mail to file benefit applications

Workforce Solutions spokeswoman Carrie Moritomo said delayed money went from the state to Bank of American at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Richardson also declared the unemployment insurance problem "fixed."

"All of the approximately 23,000 people who didn't receive their UI funds on Monday will either have them in their accounts today or in the mail," he said at a news conference.

But Wilkerson checked her account an hour after the news conference and found no money.

By law the state has five days to pay these entitlements, but those who depended on the money earlier said they are making sacrifices beyond their unemployment.